Scuffle-hoe.



A. S. KNAPP.

SCUFFLE HOE. APPLICATION FILED r312. 25, 1909.

935, 1 1 6.. Patented Sept; 28, 1909.

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ALBERT S. IKNAPP, 0F GOOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK.

SCUFFLE-HOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1969.

Application filed February 25, 1909. Serial No. 479,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. KNAPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cooperstown, in the county of Otsego and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scuflle- Hoes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garden implements, and more particularly tohoes, and has for its object to provide a hoe especially adapted for useto remove grass or other growth from the ground surface.

A particular object of the device is to provide such an implementespecially adapted for use on walks and driveways, for the removal ofgrass, and which may be operated with a minimum of efiort to force itinto engagement with the surface to be operated upon.

Another object is to provide a hoe having a blade adapted to be disposedapproximately in horizontal position for use, and being curved topresent opposite down- .wardly extending edge portions, which will tendto work beneath the surface of the ground, so that a minimum of effortis required for the perfect operation of the hoe.

A most important object of the invention is to provide a hoe of thiskind having a detachable blade comprising simply a blank of sheetmaterial.

Another important object is to provide-a novel form of holder arrangedto allow the disengagement of worn blades therefrom with facility andtheir rapid replacementwith new blades.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and it will be understood that changes in the specificstructure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a side view of the hoe, in operative position, Fig. 2 is atop view of the device, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the device,Fig. 4: is a plan view of a portion of the hoe blade, Fig. 5 is a frontview of the device.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a hoe comprising a holderportion A including a base plate 10 having an arcuately concaved lowerface 11 and centrally perforated as at 12. Disposed laterally of theopening 12, there is an upwardly extending bifurcated support member 13transversely perforated and having a clamping shank 14 pivotallysupported therein, said shank having a horizontal portion 15 providedwith a downwardly extending portion 16 disposed slidably through theopening 12, and having an enlarged head 16 at its lower end. The outerend of the member 14- is directed upwardly as shown in the drawings, andarranged for the engagement of a handle thereon in any suitable manner.Secured detachably to the under face of the plate 10 there is a blade 17comprising a rectangular blank of sheet material having a centraltransverse slot 18 therein having an enlarged opening 19 at one end, andat the opposite end there is a circular countersunk area 20. The blade17 is secured to the holder by the presentation of the head 16downwardly through the opening 19, when the blade is moved laterally tomove the portion 12 of the clamp shank longitudinally of the slot 18 forthe engagement of the head 16 upwardly in the countersunk portion 18. Awedge member 21 is then engaged under the horizontal portion of theclamp between the support 13 and the downwardly extending portion of theclamp, when the blade 17 is drawn upwardly against the concaved face ofthe plate 10 causing it to conform to the arc of the under surface ofthe holder, the opposite longitudinal edges of the blade 17 thus beingpresented downwardly below the central portion of the blade and adaptedfor engagement with the surface of the ground in the usual manner. Bythis construction it will be seen that a blade of sheet material of aminimum thickness and strength may be utilized, the base plate 10serving to brace the blade against buckling. The use of a thin blade forthe purposes of a scuffle hoe is much more effective than the use of athick one, and the effectiveness of the hoe is correspondinglyincreased.

The engaging edges of the hoe are preferably beveled upon their upperportions and the sharpening of the blade in this manner is facilitatedby the manner of its engagement with the holder. The device ispreferably made considerably wider than the usual hoe, as theresistanceto its reciprocation is but slight.

What is claimed is j 1. An. article of the class described, comprising aholding member having an open-' thereabove, said shank being adapted forengagement with ahandle' at one end and being provided with a headeddownward extension at its other end projecting below the lower face ofthe holder, and a blade detachably engaged with the holder, said bladehaving a slot therethrough enlarged at one end forengagement over theheaded extension and sliding movement to engage the head outwardly ofthe reduced portion of the slot, and means for detachably securing theheaded portion of the extension in clamping engagement with the blade.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT S. KNAPP. l/Vitnesses F. W. SPEAKER, L. T. PIER.

